November 2005 update.

Gosh, have I not written anything since July!!! This does not mean that nothing has been happening but I had an enforced separation from Bluebell when I broke my leg. I was kept up to date with progress but it is not the same as being there. I am now hobbling about without a plaster and I can drive! I can therefore bring you right up to date although I have no recent piccies to show you.

The outside of the boat has now all been derusted and given a coat of primer and grey undercoat. A team from B Sky B are very keen to paint her for us and it was hoped that this would have been done before the weather got so cold but it wasn't to be. Hopefully the group will still be keen in the spring! The wooden floor in the foredeck  was lifted and a lot of it was found to be rotten. Hardly surprising when you think that has been exposed to all weather for many years. Under the floor, the hull was naturally in a bit of a mess and although the boys did what they could with battery operated tools, it was felt that we needed the services of Gordon from Belzona again. When Gordon has grit blasted the metal, it will be treated with anti rust stuff, and paving slabs will be put down to ballast her. At the moment she is sitting too high in the water. Eventually, we hope to have a canopy made to protect the front well deck when we are not cruising, or we may even have a cratch and cover made. But that is in the future. Andy is making the front doors away from the boat. The gap is wider than you normally find on a narrow boat as she was built to carry people in wheelchairs. Andy is making two two panel doors which will fold back on themselves with each panel having a window. This will allow maximum use of the foredeck.

Inside, more wiring has been done, more lights put up  and the insulation has been completed. The water tank which had been renovated in John's workshop is back on board and sitting in place awaiting the connection of the water pipes etc. Work has started to build the cabinets etc which will house the tank, water heater, sink etc on the starboard side of the boat to the rear of the loo compartment. The port side will have a work surface and cooker ( hob and grill) with shelving underneath. The method of lining the windows had been decided upon and the wood for this should arrive soon and making up these should  ensure that there is enough "inside" work to keep everyone busy for a wee while.

Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, we are not getting the tables as we had hoped but I am sure the boys will manage to construct them. The plan is to have them hinged to the side of the boat so that they can be dropped down to give more floor space if this is required.

Not a lot has happened on the engine front as Iain has been employed inside but the new exhaust has been made and is awaiting fitting. The new deck boards have been painted with non slip paint and we are now not so sure that grey was a good colour to use. Muddy brown might have been better :-).

On the generator front, I have to confess that we overloaded the generator which Gordon Bow had kindly lent us and we returned to him in a non working state. Sorry Gordon.

We decided that as we had been successful in our application for a grant to the Lloyds TSB Foundation, we should purchase our own generator as we will need power to maintain both boats. We acquired one through EBay and it has enabled the boys to get on with jobs where more than battery operate tools are required.

It has been good to get back to Bluebell on a Saturday and to find what a happy little band of workers we have! There is not only lots of chat and banter but lots of good ideas are emerging and are discussed before a new task is tackled.

On days when there has not been a lot of work done due to lack of power or materials, Roseann has been taken out for driving training.